The Beast and the Beast
by scribensdraconis
Summary: Maduke wants so much more than the provincial life his town can offer. The haunted castle, maybe. (Beauty and the Beast AU/Parody, Maduke x Aris, cowritten by foggywizard)
1. Chapter 1

_**AN**__: Welcome to this rendition of The Beauty and the Beast, cowritten by the wonderful foggywizard!_

* * *

Life in Brighttown was quaint - they were hunters and farmers, weavers and fishers. On the whole, dreadfully quaint, too quaint for its mayor, who always dreamed of the big cities, of palaces, nights out at the opera and an adventure this small city could just not offer to him. And they still called him their mayor, the best hunter, a hero of the last war. Mayor Maduke was a lonely man and though he had many admirers, there was only one woman who could truly be _worthy_ of him in this sleepy corner of the world. "Good morning Lunark." He approached the young huntress as she crossed the town square. She was probably on her way for another hunt - he briefly stopped and bent down to ruffle her dog's fur. "What's the prey of the day?"

"Depends on what the Moonmother blesses me with." She hoped it was deer, but this time of year, boar would be abundant as well. Hefting her quiver up more, she adjusted her belt to make sure that her knife would not be lost during the hunt.

"The stag you brought down last spring was impressive." Its antlers made a fine trophy she hopefully put on display in her home.

"And delicious." She tilted her head, acknowledging the compliment.

"If you like delicious food, you should visit me for dinner one day." Everyone knew the mayor loved to prepare dishes that went above the usual standard one would find in this region.

"Hmm. No. I'm quite happy with my deer." Everyone knew the mayor was rather fussy about his food, and she'd really rather he not ruin the natural taste with those dumb plants of his.

"And how about a weekend out of town? The nearest city is within reasonable distance."

"I'm going to the lake with Mirai that weekend."  
"The weekend after?"  
"Kentas wanted to spar."  
"And what about the thirtieth February next year?"  
"Snowball fight. You can come too, I guess." Not an actual date, but if it managed to get him out of her face, she was willing to let him think it was one. On both meanings of the word.

"I see you have everything planned. You know, Lunark, many women would consider themselves lucky to be in your position."

"Being a decent enough hunter to bring in enough income to support myself?"  
"No. To have _me_ as a suitor."  
"Is that what this is supposed to be?" Him coming to harass her was supposed to pass for courting?  
"Pardon?" He quirked a brow.  
"This is not courting. I haven't let you. So you're not a suitor."  
"Then I ask you to accept my sentiments and let me court you."  
"No. I'm not interested."  
"Pardon?"

"I am not interested. I make enough money to live on my own. So I don't want to bother with marriage."  
"Aren't you lonely?" Maduke leaned closer. "Don't you wish to have someone by your side?"

That was what Mirai was for. But that was illegal. It was why her mothers had pretended to be siblings raising her after one of their husbands died when they'd moved here. "I'm fine."

"You won't always be young, beautiful and in good enough health to provide for yourself."  
"Given what I know of men, I won't always be young, beautiful, and in good enough health for my husband to be willing to provide for me."  
"What man would not provide for the mother of his children?"  
She was vaguely grossed out by that. "One whose wife doesn't want any."  
"You don't want children?"  
"I also don't want to get married." Which would mean that she wouldn't be having any to begin with. Not unless they were bastards.

"You're a fool, Lunark. But don't worry." He patted her lower back. "I hope you'll come to your senses in time."  
Her brow furrowed. "Mayor... even if I do... " Ah, how did she put this? "You're not my type." None of the men here were.  
"Nonsense."  
"That women have types? Don't men? I've heard the tavern talk about hair preferences."  
"I'm rich, powerful, strong, well respected and better educated than the other men in this town."

And an ass to think that that made up for him throwing it in everyone's face. "I'm sure that appeals to someone. Not me."

His facial expression froze and slowly returned to neutrality. "Good luck on your hunt."

She nodded, "Thank you, Mayor," and snapped her fingers for the dog to follow her into the woods.

That was... Unbelievable! He was the most eligible bachelor in this city and she was still not interested?! In the evening, Maduke's calm had not lessened by a bit, and he skulked over his wine in the tavern. "Zaiga." He moved a bit to the side when his friend joined him. Ah, someone he could rely on.

"Maduke." Ah, his oldest friend. "You don't look great today." Maduke was broody, and although that was just how he was normally, this was a bit more advanced than that.

"I made another attempt at courting Lunark." He emptied his glass and sank back in his chair, gaze focused on the massive bear head displayed above the fireplace. One of his hunting trophies.

He'd ask how it went this time, but it was rather apparent. "She turned you down?" Before, they'd thought she was just dense. Or maybe even a bit simple.

"That woman!" An exasperated groan. "Doesn't want to get married, not interested in having children - _and _**_I_**_ am not her type?!_ She must be one of those lesbians!"

"... I suppose that's possible?" She wouldn't be out about it here. Although, he doubted it, given that he'd seen her flirting with a travelling doctor before.

"Can you believe it?! She got that _something_ I am missing in my life and she refuses to even give it a go! I even offered to take her out for the weekend!"

"... Maybe you're missing something she wants?" Though, Zaiga really couldn't think of what. His friend really was the crème de la crème here.

"Like _what_ ?" He rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Why would she _not_ want me?"  
"I don't know. Maybe she doesn't like your house? Or your hair colour? Or any number of strange things. Women can be finicky."

"Women." He snorted derisively. "Hey. Yuna." He waved the waitress over to their table. "Bring us two beer and another bottle of wine." She nodded and headed off to get his requested drinks.

"So, do you still intend to try and win her?" He thought he had an idea for that. A change of house... well, any woman would be impressed with a house even bigger than Maduke's.

"It must be her. You don't give up on the perfect prey just because it got away once."  
Zaiga cackled. "Well, don't forget to sink those teeth in deep so she doesn't again."  
He chuckled too. "You know I'm not letting go until I got what I wanted."

Yuna returned with two beer and a bottle of wine. Her father, the owner of the tavern, would just send him the bill tomorrow.

"Drink to your luck on the hunt then?", Zaiga asked.  
"Aye, to the hunt!" He raised his jug of beer and clanked it against Zaiga's in a jovial toast

They both drank easily. "So. What's the plan for the next one?"  
"Literal hunt, or our feisty Lunark?"  
"Lunark, of course. It's much more interesting game than any animal could be."  
Maduke chuckled. "I'm sure she'd see the error of her ways once she gets to know me properly."  
"I'm sure." Anyone would. "But to get her to do that."  
"I'm sure we can come up with _something_."

Zaiga nodded, taking a sip of his beer and beginning to bounce ideas off of Maduke. Soon, they were absolutely smashed. "You knoooow. You could get a niice castle. Thas impressif."

"A _castle_ ? I'm nothing but ears!"  
"Rumour has it that there's an ano- an oben- an _abandoned_ castle in the forest. But there's a catch." Zaiga absolutely chortled.  
"I'm a hunter. I'm the mayooor but **also** a hunter. Catching is what I do."  
"Theressa monsser." Zaiga nodded sagely, a bit too hard. "And we gotta kill it to win the house."  
"An' thatssit?"  
"Thassit. Evryone's too spooked. 'Cause the wolves an' the deep forest."  
"Easy peasy!" He laughed and slapped his thigh drunkenly. "Lessgo!"

Zaiga's laughter echoed Maduke's own. "Yeah. Getta pretty new house and then the pretty girl is yours."

He got up. "To the horses! Get the hounds! My crossbow and my gun!"

It was a messy scramble, but they got together rather quickly, a couple of other old hunters joining them, laughing happily. A monster seemed an interesting thing to bag, after all. Even if the forest was indeed rather creepy at this time. He would slay the monster, get the castle and marry the girl.


	2. Chapter 2

Proudly, they all set out, with torches, hounds and horses. Loudly, they sang old hunting songs ; just a horde of drunk men having a good time. Until they got lost. Maduke didn't even notice at first that he was alone now - oh well he'd find them. Confidently, he kept riding straight, shaky in the saddle. Eventually, he came upon a castle - the haunted castle! He'd slay the beast and this would all be his! Carelessly, he hopped off the horse and stumbled, falling against an old marble gargoyle. Whoops. His crossbow and his gun, and his saber too. "MONSTER!" He stepped into the entrance hall. "I HAVE COME TO SLAY THEE!"

There was some noise as a clockwork doll started up and made its way across the room, but nothing more.

He held the torch high to see better. This was a very beautiful castle and he looked forward to owning it. "come heeeere monster, wherever you are!"

The clockwork doll went back across the room, getting closer with each pass.

He turned around. "Who's there?"

The doll got closer, and in a tinny voice said, "Hello! I'm Tao! You seem rather... well armed!"

Maduke jumped back with a shriek. "WHO SAID THAT?! SHOW YOURSELF!" He waved his revolver around threateningly.

"Ah...haha. Please don't shoot me!" Tao covered his face with porcelain fingers.  
"..." He stared at the doll. ".. did you just talk?"  
"Yes? This place is cursed!" The doll laughed. "It's dangerous. Why did you come?"  
"To slay the monster and become Lord of this castle." He gestured around. "I have a damsel to impress."  
"Ah. Yeah. And then I'm stuck as a doll forever. Please don't."  
"I need this castle."  
"You wanna be a doll too? This place is cursed!"  
"Well, I'll kill the monster and the curse will be broken, you're welcome."  
"That's not how the curse works, but whatever."

He quirked an eyebrow and picked up the doll to continue the exploration while talking. "Let me guess, I need to find a sacred flower that I must burn at midnight on the highest tower on a blue moon."

"No. Just that it's not the monster who set the curse. So killing them won't fix it. The monster has to do something themselves to fix it."

"Oh. Great. Like what?" He chuckled and kicked open the door to one of the rooms. A welcoming fireplace provided warmth and light. He liked that.

"Ah... the sorcerer said she had to fall in love, I think? Something like that."  
"She ?" He tossed his torch in the fireplace and sat on the couch. Comfortable.  
"Yeah. She's a bit of a bitch, and I suppose that's why he decided to make her one literally."  
"... Was she attractive? Before that?"  
"... I guess? Weird obsession with men's butts though."  
"I have a great butt. I exercise."  
"Cool! I'm actually kinda glad I'm a doll. Her touching mine was uncomfortable."  
"... Right." He yawned. "Maybe I should rest my eyes for a little."  
"Go for it. Not like any of the rest of us are going anywhere."

He dropped the doll on the floor next to the couch and sprawled out. "I'll be up in five minutes." Except he was snoring after fifteen minutes, fast asleep.

Tao waited for a couple of minutes, then - "AAAAAAH! I CAN'T GET UP! KRANZ! TAKEO!" He flailed on the ground, his clockwork limbs lacking the range of motion to get him back up.

Annoyed, Maduke's eyes snapped open. This shrieking... He reached down, seized the doll, and flung it against the nearest wall, narrowly missing the fireplace. With a snore, his head dropped back on the couch as he fell back asleep.

Tao quieted, in too much pain to do more than cry now. Aris came down to tend him. Oh! His springs were busted now! What kind of monster would hurt one of her babies?!

Tao sobbed as the beast approached, covered in dark auburn fur and with gleaming yellow eyes. "The man!" He cried out. Ouch! His springs! Hopefully he did not break any of his porcelain! With a thin finger, he pointed at the couch, where Maduke slept soundly.

She growled. What bad manners! "Come. Let's get you fixed up." And then she could deal with him. Maybe by the time she'd come back he'd be a clockwork doll too.

Tao let out a small sob. Maybe then she would also polish and oil his joints! "Madam, it's a man !" Which was kind of what they needed.

"It is." And she did not care. "He hurt you." Her babies were more important than any dumb curse. Only she was allowed to break them. That was why there were exactly five left.

At least she really was an expert on how to fix Dolls - he only felt somewhat sorry for the others who were items she was not quite an expert with. She fixed him in no time! "What will you do now?", he asked, moving his delicate joins gingerly to test them.

"Break him like he broke you." Duh. What else did you do with someone like that?  
"But he could break the curse!"

"But then you wouldn't be my pretty little doll anymore!" She could have swooned over how cute he was when she first saw Tao like this. On the other hand... Not working with claws would be nice.

"But imagine having a castle full of servants again!"  
"That would be nice," she admitted.  
"And you do need a man for that! When was the last one we had in this castle?"  
She laughed. "When I got my last baby."  
".. so, how about you try to lift this curse for a change, Majesty?"

"I dunno." She didn't like him already. Slob who fell asleep in a chair and hurt Tao and didn't even greet her properly.

"There is a story about a beautiful young woman trapped in a castle by a very rude, unruly, boorish man! And she manages to make him a better person, and thus, breaks a curse and they live happily ever after. Some womanly gentleness to fix bad manners!"

"I'll think about it." What a dumb curse breaking requirement!  
"So maybe just... luck him up or something?"  
"Yeah. Get Hammer and Shark to do it."  
"The tower cells?"  
"Yeah. He can rot for a while. That should teach him better than to hurt my babies."  
"It will be done!"

Tao scurried off to get Hammer and Shark to help with moving the sleeping drunkard.

* * *

His mouth was filled with cotton and so was his head. Where was he? Zaiga raised up, looking around. A... forest? Oh. Oh no. He remembered bits and pieces of last night. He had to get home, see if Maduke had made it back and start up a search party if he hadn't. Their mayor missing, what an awful thought! And yet, his fears came to fruition. He gathered some of his best trackers, explaining the situation, but leaving out the 'why' of it. "He's out there, possibly at the castle. If it even does exist."

The city was in quite an uproar - the mayor was missing. Lunark watched the chaos idly as Zaiga arranged a search party to find the missing mayor. Well. Served him right - she'd heard him and the other men singing drunkenly as they left town in the night. No one left for a hunt in the evening. Instead of bothering with this drama, she headed to the small bookshop a nice young man had opened recently. For some reason, he had to leave the capital and moved somewhere quieter instead. "Good day, Frankenstein." Lunark smiled, trying not to blush. He was really attractive, and he had something the local men really lacked

"Good day, Lunark." He finished shelving another set of books. Hopefully, he'd be able to stay here, instead of being chased out as a witch for his knowledge and hobbies. "Come to browse again?" Honestly he wasn't even sure she could read, but interest in his shop was interest in his shop.

"Yes." She looked around curiously. "I think your best customer went missing."

"The mayor is missing?" He frowned. Well. That was troublesome. How was he supposed to support himself when the literacy rates were so low?

"That's what you get for getting drunk and setting out for a hunt after dark."

Peak foolishness. "Proof that education is not the same as wisdom, I suppose." And this man was running this town.

Lunark chuckled. He was so witty! But in a special way, not like the others here. She wished she could read so she could get books from him. Then he would stay in this town and not go out of business. "He's probably fine."

"Of course. He seems a self sufficient man." He considered Lunark for a moment. "You come here to look at the books often, but I don't believe I've ever seen you read one."

".." Lunark blushed. "I like the feeling of their leather backs. And it smells nice in here."

Frankenstein chuckled. "That it does. Would you like to learn to read them?" There was at least interest in the books here. He could always use more customers. He might just need to offer reading lessons to the town in general, if he was honest.

"..." Ah, so he had figured out. Well. Many people really never needed to read at all. "... Yes. I would like that."

He plucked a book off the shelf. This one should be easy enough to learn from. "Come. I don't get many customers anyway."

"... I heard you're also a doctor." She approached. Oh she would get to spend time with him!

"I am. And I'm afraid my ways look like witchcraft to some." He smiled awkwardly. "Seems that when most of your patients live, most assume you have to be in league with the devil instead of the truth." And he could never stomach to let a patient he could save die. No. He was better than that.

"So what's the truth?"

"A few basic changes to how I handle them. Mostly? I keep myself and my patients clean and then they just manage to get better on their own because of it in a fair number of cases. Hardly witchcraft, but not how most do it and no one believes me when I explain that it works."

"Cleanliness?", Lunark questioned.  
"Cleanliness." Frankenstein confirmed. "Even keeps wounds from getting infected if you keep it clean."  
"Just with water?"  
"I'd recommend boiling it first, to make sure that the water is clean too, but yes."  
"... so you boil water, let it cool, and then clean wounds with it?"  
"Yes." She was interested! That was new. Most just called him strange for it.  
"I will make sure to remember it." She smiled.

"Good. I'd hate to see you fall to infection. I am here to help, of course, but that one is much trickier to deal with once it's happened than common illness."

Lunark smiled and pointed at the book. "So... about the reading thing... I'd like to learn from you."


	3. Chapter 3

Maduke woke up in a strange place - he was cold, and he felt sick. With some effort, he managed to get up on his feet and he doubled over, retching, as his head exploded in a sharp pain. With a groan, he sank back against the bars of this strange prison. He __really__ had overdone it with the drinks last night. "IS ANYONE HERE?!" His throat felt sore and dry. "ANYBODY?!"

A tinny voice rang out. "You hurt Tao. She's not happy."  
He rubbed his face. "... what?"  
"You threw him! Dolls are fragile! Her royal highness is upset!"

"..." Shit. The talking, walking doll felt like a tacky nightmare now, and he shifted. "... where are you?"  
"Down here." Takeo, another clockwork toy, sat on a box, watching the rude stranger.  
He looked around. Oh. Another toy?!

"You dropped him and then you threw him. You think just because we're cursed that we aren't people?!" What was wrong with him?!

Maduke stared at the doll. "... " Was he __seriously__ expected to apologize to a doll? "Is he okay?" Feign care.

"No thanks to you! Her majesty had to fix his springs."  
"Then he is fine."

Takeo's small doll eyes would have narrowed if he hadn't been made of porcelain. "I'll go tell her you're awake." He carefully climbed down from the box he'd gotten to watch him on, going to seek out Queen Aris.

Bewildered, Maduke watched the doll leave. He __vaguely__ remembered something about a curse... and butts? Rubbing his head, he sank bank against the hard cot on the floor of the prison cell.

She'd picked out a cute dress today. But not too cute. He was still a rude man who'd hurt her babies! "So you're the one who threw Tao." An auburn monster approached, her pose far too cute for what she was.

Maduke recoiled at the sight of the monster. Auburn fur with some pink bows here and there, piercing yellow eyes, and a voice that __really__ did not match its appearance. "... I was half asleep and unaware of my actions," he assured politely. "... Are you the Lady of this magnificent castle?"

"I am!" She clasped her arms in front of her, swinging them up to her chest. "And you? Who are you?" Be good. He had been rude, but he was being polite now.

Slowly, he dared to stand up. The beast was shorter than him. "Maduke, Mayor of Brighttown," he introduced himself politely.

"Brighttown? Oh! I haven't been there in __forever__! How're things going there? I can't exactly check my territories stuck here like this."

"The city is flourishing. We had some excellent harvests in the past years and the people go about their daily lives without any major incidents."

"Good! Good! Urne has been complaining of wanting to see her sister lately."  
"... the missing twin sister of the seamstress?"  
"Missing? She's been here the whole time! Has been since this boring curse started."  
"It's been twenty years, Madam."  
"... How are none of you much older then?" Was she even still a child then?  
"Pardon?"  
"If Urne is still a child then Mirai should be too, right?"  
"Mirai is a grown woman who will get married next summer."  
"... But then how are you here like this, Azran?"  
"... I am Maduke. His son."  
"... For real?"  
"Would I lie to a lady?"

She hummed. She didn't know, but she guessed she'd take him at his word. "Okay then." God, how old was he back then? 16? 24? Somewhere between the two? "How old are you now then?"

"Fourty soon, unfortunately."  
"Ah! And the mayor. No wife?"  
"Widowed. I intend to remarry."

So many things had happened! "So what brings you here then? Can't imagine that such a successful man just randomly decides to come to a haunted castle." Unless... did he come to wed her? Break the curse?

"My loneliness led me here," he said, not even entirely a lie.  
Ah! So he had! She giggled. "My my. There that few good women there?"  
"The only good one is less intelligent than I thought, I fear."  
"It's a provincial village. What did you expect?"  
"... Precious gems can be found in all sorts of places. Provincial villages... haunted castles..."  
"You'd expect to find one in a castle though," she pointed out.

"..." He chuckled. "Madam. I apologize for accidentally having harmed your servant. I was glad to hear you could repair him."

"I'd request you not do that again. Tao and Takeo are my favourites." She swivelled back and forth, biting her thumb. "I don't know what I would have done if he'd have been cracked. My sweet babies..."

"Of course not."

She giggled. "They had the best butts back before the curse. I had to find __just__ the right clothes for them to accentuate it. Even the men couldn't help but stare."

Uh. So that was the butt part he remembered. "... A tragedy?"  
"Quite. Though I can't decide if I like them better as dolls or want them to have butts."  
"... Some torturous choices. Madam. I must return to Brighttown."  
"Ah... no."  
"No?"  
"Tao says I shouldn't let you. And so do my advisors!"  
"And still it's your decision, madam."

"And I decided no. Why would you want to go back? You seem much too good for tiny little Brighton. Let them sort their own nonsense."

"And those poor, simple people need a leader."  
"They're just peasants. Most of them don't even have nice butts."  
"Would you at least release me from this cell?"

She hummed. "Okay. Yeah, I can get you a __nice__ room!" She brought her clasped hands back up to her face. Were those hearts part of the enchantment?

"Thank you." He'd improvise, then.

She took some keys out from a pocket, unlocking the door. "All right, let's go find a suitable room!" She giggled.

Where were his weapons? They were all gone. His stomach grumbled loudly as he followed her.

"Oh! It is after breakfast. I guess there's leftovers if you want."  
Food. "I'd appreciate that." __Leftovers. Ugh.  
__"Wait. What time is it?"  
"I do not know."

She waved her hand. "Nevermind then. I'm sure Kranz will know." She led him to the dining hall.

"This is a very fine castle," he said. And well maintained too! Almost ready to be lived in. Surely he'd feel very comfortable once he moved in properly, not as prisoner, but as new proprietor.

"It is! It was nicer before the curse, of course." Since it was easier to keep maintained.  
"I can only imagine."

"Ah! Kranz! What time is it?" This doll was significantly larger. Big enough to be able to carry plates and whatnot, where the other two could have maybe managed a key.

"I will ask Yuri." The clock here. "Please wait a few minutes."

"My babies are the cutest, aren't they?" Kranz was truly a masterpiece!  
"Did you make them yourself?", he asked politely.

She hummed. "That's complicated. I certainly can, but with the curse, I have no idea if they possessed my toys or changed to be shaped like them."

"This curse... Would you tell me more?"

"Ah! Sure. So basically what happened was, there was this one __really ugly__ guy who came up to the castle and asked to stay. And I told him he could only stay if he was good at... stuff... and he got angry and put a curse because I have an 'awful personality'." She put the last words in air quotes.

"That sounds like a very unfair way to treat a woman who makes use of her right to decide who's allowed on her property."

"Doesn't it!? I was even going to let him stay!"  
"Surely there's a way to break it?"

"Apparently I have to make someone fall in love with me. Like that's hard! But of course, they just __had__ to go and make it su~per~ hard to come here too! And made me look like this." She gestured to her appearance. "Not that it's bad. I make a __cute__ monster."

"... Not the other way around?"  
"What?" She thought on that for a moment. "I think it's this way? I could be misremembering it though."  
"It's an important detail."

Krantz returned. "It's five past eleven, Madam." Yuri was a meticulous timekeeper. Pretty easy for a man turned into a clock.

"Oh." Okay then. "You want to wait for lunch then, Maduke?"  
"When would that be?"  
"In a little more than an hour." Thirty minutes after noon, to be exact.

"... Fine." Then he would have something better than just some cold __scraps.__ "I mean, I joyously accept your invitation."

Rude man. She was tempted to just let him leave. Staying cursed was fine by her, much as she'd prefer proper hands. Oh well! She giggled. "I think Yuri said something about salad today!" She didn't know what other dishes, but she was looking forward to that at least.

Salad? Hopefully some greens wouldn't be the only things on the menu. Except it seemed it was. Which made sense. Everyone here was either the Queen or an inanimate object, after all. So tossing things together might very well be all they could do.

"..." He stared at the bowl of mixed ingredients. "I'm renowned for my dinner evenings." He really refused to live on raw vegetables until he had an opportunity to slay her.

"Like fancy parties then?"  
"Yes. After particularly successful hunts."  
"Ooh, a hunter! I never cared much for meat, but hunters are __always__ impressive!"

"I have slain the grisly bear of Aspen Canyon that devoured five villagers before I put an end to it." He was pretty sure the bear wasn't at fault for the missing villagers but it made for a good story.

"Ah!" She giggled. "Good." Not that she cared about the villagers, but killing a __bear__?

"And when I return, victorious, I invite my closest friend and the most exemplar citizens to a dinner at my house, where I prepare whatever I hunted. It's always a very special and exclusive occasion."

"You must have a lot of fun with that!"

The beast was a strange woman. Dangerous, yes, but also predictable. By now, Maduke was fairly certain that slaying her would come with the risk of inflicting this curse on himself - if he wanted this castle, he must conquer her, then. How hard could that be, really? She was a woman who had no male company in twenty years! He made sure to always be courteous, and accentuated his skills and talents whenever he could to impress the Lady. All he would have to do was win the beast's heart and this gorgeous castle and all the privileges of being its Lord would be his - a low price. "My Lady." As she wished, he wore fine garnments, outdated as they might be, and dined with her, and danced with her, too. Anything she asked of him. "Pray tell, what is on your mind?"

"What is your butt like?" Hopefully that wouldn't get her the weird looks it normally did.

"...?" Did he even hear that correctly? "Like any other?"  
She giggled at that. "No. Guys have all different sorts of shapes if you pay attention."  
"I don't usually pay attention to the rears of men."  
"See? So you wouldn't know!"  
"... right." Butts seemed to be a recurring theme in this castle and it made him mildly uncomfortable. "Any other thoughts?"

Hmm. Maybe... "What would you like, good sir?" He'd been good to her. That deserved a reward.  
"You are a very special woman, Madam." He could not languish here __forever__ .  
"That doesn't answer my question."

She leaned back and forth, rolling from the tips of her toes to the balls of her feet in an exaggerated motion. He __really__ had to overcome his disgust with her appearance to step forward and place a hand against her waist, pulling her in just enough to make the intent clear. "One like no other I have ever met!"

__Oh.__ She blushed beneath her fur. "Good sir, I am a __queen__. An unmarried one." Much as she hated those stupid rules.

... Well. All or nothing. Without hesitation, he sank down on a knee before her. "Then I ask for your hand in marriage, your majesty."

"Oh! I'd love to! But..." She swivelled in place cutely. "What's my name?"

Maduke glanced up. What...? He realized he never actually asked about her name. She was always Madam, or something else that sounded polite enough. "... what is a name but air? A rose is a rose no matter how you call it."

"Hmm. But to call the rose a rose shows you cared enough to learn about it."

"Is the name not the most superficial part? You can know that it is called a rose without knowing her scent, or the softness of her petals, or the way her thorns sting."

"You don't know it, do you?"

"... I apologize. I have not thought of asking for it. It felt trivial compared to everything else."

She smiled sweetly before turning on her heel and leaving. He could have fun finding her name out from one of the others. She would not marry any man careless enough to not find it out.

__Shit__! Of course this could have gone much worse. Well. It must be possible to find it out somewhere! And then this castle would belong to him.


	4. Chapter 4

To have a man in the castle was a good sign - a hopeful one. Even if all of them doubted his sincerity, Yuri made sure no one voiced these thoughts to her majesty. This came closer to hope than anything else these past twenty years. Yuri made his way to the room of the queen, which was difficult because he was a clock. Useful until he needed to move. "Your majesty." He entered the private chamber clumsily.

"Yuri! There you are!" Ah! Both the best and worst advisor.

"What is wrong?" He'd heard some very concerning noises.

"Maduke is an _idiot_." He liked to parade around like he was the cream of the crop, it was true. But any practical knowledge of how women's hearts worked? None! How _dare_ he!?

Oh great. "What did he do?"

"Can you believe he tried to proposition me? He turned it into a marriage proposal immediately afterwards, but..." She huffed. "He doesn't even know my name!"

That was downright _stupid_ . Yuri wasn't even sure how to make excuses for that. "Would you have accepted otherwise?"

Aris thought on that for a while before shrugging. "Eh. Probably. I have nothing better to do."

"Your majesty. He might be the one who can break this curse!"

"And?" Did Yuri really think she cared one whit about it at this point? She'd long gotten used to having fangs and claws, knew how to comb her fur to make it shine just right.

"You could wear beautiful dresses, new ones, and be petite again! Braid your hair and host balls."

She huffed. "_Fine._" She could just have him killed afterwards, she guessed. He had a nice body, but he had no idea how to actually treat a lady!

"Your majesty." He bowed. "I'm certain his sentiments are sincere, even if lacking the princely refinement you'd usually deserve."

"He's a politician. He should know better already."

"Politics is about dealing with other men."

"Hmpf!" She turned around, away from Yuri. It seemed her tantrum would last some time.

Yuri sighed. He should probably speak to the man as well. Or else this would go nowhere. Now where would he be about this time? Library? Kitchen? Her majesty's inappropriate workshop? It took some looking to find the man.

In a flight of wisdom, Maduke had turned to the library. Surely there must be some records of the royal family that would contain her name. He briefly glanced to the side. Ah. The clock. "I'm looking for birth records of the royal house."

"The Royal house?" Ah. So he was actually going to try and put some effort into it.

"I might or might not have forgotten to ask for some details."

"Queen Aris's name is a rather large detail." Why didn't he know that, actually? It had only been twenty years since the curse.

"Ah. Aris. Everyone just called her Queen - I better not repeat that."

"Not inaccurate, I suppose." He smiled. Or at least, did so as best as a clock could. "Her title is used more than her name. So you can see why it would be important to her. Only people she cares about are allowed to use it." He hated them both, really. But any attempt at matchmaking was good to get him out of this damned clock body.

"Oh, no, Queen A-word-I-wont-repeat." He chuckled. "Born when?"

"She was twenty three when she was cursed. I'm afraid even being the timekeeper hasn't been enough to keep track of the years."

"... I see." Well. He could work with that. "Anything else I should know?" He returned to searching for the book.

Ah... "None of us actually know how to break the curse. The sorcerer wasn't that explicit and left a riddle for it. We've written down all of the different possible interpretations over in the journal over there." He pointed to it. "Some we've tried... others only you will be able to do."

"..." He picked up the journal. "A close friend of mine is a sorcerer."  
"I do hope not the one who set the curse."  
"An old man named Lagus. Purple Hair. Kind of looks like a tree."  
"Never met him."

"Well, then he was not the one who cursed her.I _could_ ask for his help, if I cannot break this curse myself." For obvious reasons.  
"By all means. None of us want to remain as we are."  
"I imagine. Well. I will try to make up with her."  
"I wish you luck in that endeavour. She is finicky even for a woman."

"Oh believe me, I have noticed. _Women_ . I came here because of one, I am stuck here because of one."  
"My condolences."

"... Well. Nothing to be done about that now." He _Wanted_ this castle and after weeks of playing the gentleman for that _beast_ he really deserved it. "I will find the birth records and then go and see her."

The clock nodded and left. His work here was done. Maduke spent some more time looking for the correct book, and once he had it, he actually put some effort into appearing particularly presentable before he approached the queen's chamber, the book of her dynasty in hand. He knocked. "May I speak to you?"

She answered, back to her saccharine sweetness. "Sure! What is it?"

"May I enter?"

"Come in!" She hated the slight mess some things were from being unable to control her claws at first, but what could you do?

Maduke entered the room, holding on to his book. "You're Queen Aris Desdemona Corinne of House Verbers, born on a spring morning, and crowned on the midsummer in your youth."

"Looked it up yourself then?"  
"This book is missing some details, though."  
"Such as?" She tilted her head as she asked.

"Your taste for the colour pink. Your finesse and skill with tools. Or..." He closed the book of dynasty. "Your particular appreciation for men with well-shaped buttocks."

"Yours is indeed lovely, by the way."  
"A thriving mind should be hosted by a healthy body."  
"Oh I totally agree! That's why Tao has a workout regimen! _Had_ a workout regimen. Kinda hard to do when you're a doll."  
"Wouldn't it be wonderful if he could return to it?"  
"Well. Yeah. Humans heal easier than dolls do."  
"Will you forgive me my negligence, Aris?"

Ah. Just what she wanted to hear! "Of course I will!"

Maduke offered his arm to her. That was easier than he'd thought. She took it gladly. Good. He'd show initiative.

"You truly are a queen. You're like no other woman I have met before."  
She giggled, "I'm sure you've never met anyone cursed into being a _cute_ beast before."  
"Yes, usually people don't manage to stay cute," he assured her.

"Oh it took a while at first! But then I figured out how to keep my fur groomed and shiny and my claws clipped and it was all uphill from there!"

"You're very resourceful," he praised.

"Yes, well. You learn to make do with what you've got, you know?"

"Yes. That's a very admirable trait. Pragmatism is underrated."

"Exactly! Like, I'm used to an almost unlimited budget, but these past decades? I've learned so much!"

"Those are the markings of a woman who wasn't born _into_ greatness but _for_ greatness "

"Right?! Being able to find that out is hardly a punishment at all!" Which probably explained why she was so blasé about being cursed.

"And once the curse is broken, you do not only gain back your old life, but also the things you have learned."

"No. Not old life. I haven't aged in twenty years!" She'd honestly started wondering if she was immortal. "It's like I've been born all over again by now!"

"And you have no desire to return back?"

"Ah... I wouldn't say that. I'm just saying that the curse isn't without its own perks! Like immortality, in all likelihood. But the weird hunters coming to kill you, the claws, and the isolation are all kind of annoying."

"Are you _living_ or are you surviving?"

"... I somehow think our definitions of living are two separate things. It's like you're saying that there's nothing you can do with unlimited free time." She pressed a finger to her lips, looking to the ceiling.

"All by yourself? With limited supplies?"

"Not all of them are limited, though you have a point with me being by myself."

Again, it took a moment for him to brace himself before placing a hand against her furry cheek. "I can try to break this curse that binds you here."

"If you'd like to try I will not stop you!" She was just used to this as the norm now.

"Tell me what to do, and I will do it."

She clasped her hands together, swivelling back and forth again. "I found the book that we wrote to try and break the curse, in the beginning! Do you want to try the things in there?"

Maduke nodded idly as he looked around. His eyes were held up by a portrait. A bit faded, but... my. She really was a beauty once. "Yes."

"I left it in the library! We'll have to go get it!"

Maduke nodded and set to follow her. Well. If she didn't age ... He really wouldn't miss Lunark.

Once in the library, she skipped over to the journal, handing it over to him. "Some of these are more difficult than others, but we should be able to do it together!" An airborne heart punctuated her statement.

He paged through the journal. "What would you suggest as start?"

"Hmm. This one looks easy enough?" She pointed to one of the things on the page.

"You refused sharing a bed just a couple of hours ago."

"I. Not. This is literally! Intercourse is suggested later in the book!" How dare he just assume that she was suggesting something so crass?

"...Ah." Well. Anything for the possibility of owning this castle. And he'd really rather not have to literally have intercourse with her. At least not with the way she was now. "It's worth a try."

"Things like this, or even the kissing ones I don't mind. But more than that? I'd really rather be married first. Just because I'm in a cursed castle doesn't mean I don't have a reputation to uphold."

"Of course. I fully understand and respect your modesty." As if she didn't realize that she was a literal beast stuck in a haunted castle. Play along. He had to.

A few more esteem points. She wasn't so desperate as to sacrifice her virtue for this. She knew the rules of being queen. "Yes. But that kind of thing can be left for dire straights anyway."

"Of course," he repeated and paged through the book again. "I'm sure one of these will let us accomplish this challenge."

She shifted back and forth excitedly. "It'll be nice to be able to get supplies again!" She was fine with being a beast, but some things were just out of her reach as one.

"So. I spend the night in your bed is what we try?"

"Yes. And then we move on to the others. Some of these I'm not sure are so easy, even if they're just words."

"The things that seem the easiest often are the hardest."

She sighed. "I still haven't managed to get out 'I'm sorry for being a pervert' out with any sincerity." What could _possibly_ be wrong with a healthy admiration for the male form?

That actually made him laugh. "There's no shame in desire."

"Right? But you make one comment on a disguised sorcerer's butt being nice- because it _was_ nice! Even with how he looked otherwise!- and don't comment on how old they made themselves look and suddenly you're a beast."

"That sounds highly unreasonable," he agreed once again.

She giggled. "Glad you think so. Some don't." Ah. It was getting late. "Shall we get on with trying this out?"

"Yes." He just hoped she wouldn't try anything inappropriate.

She latched onto his arm. "Let's go get ready for bed then."

"I will get ready and come to your chambers."

Aris nodded, walking off to go get ready herself. She carefully brushing out each and every tuft of fur to peak softness.

Maduke returned to the room she'd given him to prepare. Twenty minutes later, he returned to her room. "I am ready."

She was still brushing her fur, properly attired in nightclothes now that her body fur was brushed out. "It'll be just a while longer for me. Make yourself comfortable."

He gave a nod and settled down on one side of the bed. Ah, so soft! Much better than his, and he probably had the best bed in town, sucker for luxury and comfort that he was. "Do you do this every evening?"

"Beauty takes time. And I refuse to be anything but even like this!"

"I commend your dedication." Twenty years, all by herself, and not even all that insane. If she really turned back and looked like ... He glanced back to the portrait of the queen. The last portrait made of her before she was cursed, most likely. A beauty, actually.

Once she'd finished brushing and braiding the bits that were most susceptible to matting, she joined him, her body loosely lain beside him and not touching.

Maduke shifted slightly to get under the blanket. Unlike her, he did not have a full-body coverage of fur to keep him warm. "Good night, Aris. Sleep well." May you wake beautiful in the morning.

"You sleep well too!" Ah. She could get used to having this handsome face this close.

He really hoped that she would wake up beautiful. That thought accompanied them both into sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Aris awoke the next morning with a stretch. As she opened her eyes, she glanced at the arms outstretched. Ah. Hands still furred. Didn't work. Well, it was worth a shot. But she did have a handsome man in her bed and that made for a nice change.

It took Maduke a bit before he started stirring. He remained there for a few minutes, letting himself wake up a bit more before he finally opened his eyes and sat up - and immediately,he was met with a most disappointing sight. Aris was still the same.

"Well. That's one off the list." Her voice was cheery as always.

Apparently. Maduke sighed and dropped back. He could get used to such a soft bed. "What do you want to try next?"

They would try many things – the journal of possible solutions was long and inventive, after all. A couple of weeks and a poorly-written montage song later, they were almost out of options.

"What would you like to try next?" She was honestly starting to lose hope. "I'd have really thought the trust fall would work."

"I cannot believe none of these things worked!" Maduke sounded genuinely upset. Many of those things he'd really have preferred not to do. With a sigh, he ran his hand over his face.

"The sorcerer really just wanted me to be a beast forever, didn't he?" She huffed angrily.

"... No. There must be a way." He had wasted so much time already! He assumed the village presumed him dead by now. Maduke turned to her. "... Make yourself beautiful tonight, and we will have a ball."

She blushed under her fur. Oh! He wanted to dance with her? "Of course!" She'd truly grown to like him, much as some of those things were __clearly__ done reluctantly. He was so determined to break her curse, and it was endearing!

"We __will__ break this curse," he assured her. He would, and she would owe him for that.

"As you say." She shifted happily. Such a good man! He'd have made an excellent one of her babies before. It really was too bad he wasn't titled, but she wouldn't mind him as a husband.

Maduke's smile faded once he had turned around and left. A part of him wondered whether he should just lock her in the dungeon and be done with it. Claim the monster slain when in reality, she would just rot away beneath the castle. It might be a last resort, but still one he considered. He put on the finest set of clothes the enchanted servants had prepared for his stay. Yuri ushered everyone into preparing everything for their ball. "My lady." Maduke offered his hand to her.

She took it happily. "Good sir Maduke."

He leaned forward into a hinted hand kiss - it was rude to fully kiss a woman's hand - and led her to dance with him. She was remarkably graceful for a clawed beast. Slowly, he pulled her closer by the waist. This still was disgusting, but at least she did not smell. "Sometimes, the things that seem easiest can be the hardest."

She nodded. "They can." For example, letting him get away with harming Tao. She'd originally planned to do awful things to him, up until Tao talked her out of it. But it was all to the better, she felt.

"..." He stopped. Here goes nothing. "Aris, I love you." Without giving her time to react, he pulled her in for a kiss.

Her heart skipped a beat as she started to glow. Oh. This was what worked? Furred paws wrapped around his shoulders that quickly became delicately fingered hands.

She started changing, fur and fangs were replaced by a soft mouth, and she almost halved in size, turning into someone petite, pressed against his chest lightly. Blinding lights. Cheers in the background. Magic was in the air.

Aris giggled. "Well, finally something worked!"

"... you're... beautiful." And not a day older than the portrait.

"I told you I was!" A hand came up to her mouth in a weak attempt to hide her smile.

"..." He kept his hands on her small waist. A lie really has been enough? "Aris, will you marry me?", he repeated.

She nodded. "Of course I will!" Her handsome mayor who went through all this trouble just to turn her back. Her fiancé now!

He leaned in to kiss her again. "... Let us return to Britghttown. Let them see that their mayor and their queen are back."

"Let's! Several servants will be wanting to go home anyway."

While Maduke had worked on finding a way to break Aris' curse, the people of Brighttown had decided their mayor was most likely dead by now. Thus, even if no body was ever found, Zaiga and other friends of his decided to organize a funeral, turning to the old wizard Lagus to officiate the funeral, both as friend and as a man of spiritual powers.

Their mayor was dead. Dead because he'd had to go and find the haunted castle so that he could woo Lunark. Zaiga should never have told him about it. Bitch had already moved on to someone new. Someone who didn't even have as big of a house as Maduke. The bookseller of all people! Even now she was cozied up on his arm. She sure got over losing a suitor fast.

Almost the whole town attended. Even if the grave would be empty- and the sorcerer knew that his friend was just fine, but he would indulge them anyway. It was common for him to officiate formal occasions like these, given his spiritual and magic powers. However, they did not even get far into the ceremony when the sound of hooves mixed into the rustle of the wind in the tree foliage above and the voice of the old wizard. "Who died?" Maduke asked, dressed in finery, up on his black steed. The queen sat in front, wearing a delicate pink gown and her jewels. An almost unreal couple. They were accompanied by the servants of the castle, now transformed back into people. Slowly, he directed his horse towards Lagus and Zaiga.

"You're alive?!" Zaiga was incredulous, and so was each and every person who attended the funeral.

"Oh. Did I just intrude on my own funeral, then?" Maduke seemed amused and Aris just giggled. My! The people of the countryside were always so superstitious!

Zaiga nodded. His friend was alive, and that was all that mattered. Lunark, in the back with Frankenstein, just looked disinterested.

"Urne!", Mirai cried out all of a sudden. Takeo held the toddler in his arms. Maduke turned around to glance back at them. "I appreciate how numerously you all appeared."

"I take it you're courting the woman there with you then?" Lunark was young enough to not have even been born at the time. Of course she didn't know who she was. But the look of relief on Lunark's face was almost insulting.

"I am his fiancée," Aris explained as Maduke got off the horse. "__And__ your queen."

Frankenstein frowned. "King Karias has been ruling for the last ten years after coming of age." "My cousin? He's no true king!"

Lunark simply nodded. She never cared much for politics. But good! That meant he wouldn't be harassing her anymore.

Aris decided she wished to stay on the horse, enjoying to be high up again. Maduke approached Zaiga and Lagus. "My apologies. I was busy breaking a curse."

Lagus laughed. "I know. These guys were the ones who wanted a funeral."  
Zaiga looked at __him__ incredulously now. "You knew and you couldn't have told us?"  
The man shrugged. "You didn't ask."

Maduke laughed. That was a classic Lagus move, really. "Well. Her majesty Queen Aris." He gestured at the petite woman in regalia. She giggled.

Zaiga and Lagus both bowed. "It's good to see that your curse has lifted, milady." Lagus had been in the area for a very long time, after all.

Aris smiled graciously. "All thanks to my cursebreaker. I shall marry him."

"Good, good." Zaiga smiled. It wasn't like Lunark was available to him anymore anyway. Not without killing his best source of books.

Maduke walked up to Zaiga and patted his back. "The castle is real," he whispered in his ear. "And the beast a beast no more."

Zaiga whispered back. "So the queen was...?"

He nodded to confirm. She was the beast he had freed from the curse.

"Good. An upgrade. Lunark's been seeing the bookseller since shortly after you left. We were wrong. She likes blonds."

"The bookseller?" He frowned as he watched the villagers all gather around the queen or people they believed to be lost forever. "This calls for a celebration, don't you agree?"

"Of course." Zaiga smiled. Only a man like Maduke could pull off something like that.


	6. Chapter 6

The following weeks were busy as the whole town prepared for the wedding of the decade – the mayor and an ex-cursed ex-queen. Of course, Aris had written letters to her relatives, including her cousin King Karias, who has been properly crowned ten years ago once he came of age. He should know that his cousin, the true queen, was alive and well! Other than that – life was good. Many of the castle staff had family they found again, like Urne, whose twin sister was now old enough to be her mother.

Finally, the day of the wedding came about – a courier from the royal capital visited, and not only in order to congratulate the happy couple. Aris just left the letter from Karias on the side table. She'd read it, of course, but now wasn't a good time to show it to Maduke. Not when she was to marry him in less than fifteen minutes.

She turned back to fixing her maquillage for her big moment. Briefly, she stopped and looked up to one of the men who were responsible for making sure her special day would be just perfect. "Ah. Tao. How are things progressing?"

Tao glanced at his little list of tasks. "Almost everything is done. The guests are all here already."

"Good." She carefully affixed her tiara. "We'll be ready here soon then."

"Yes." Tao nodded. "Now you'll be Mrs. Mayor." And he would find a new job somewhere. Like most of the castle staff.

"__Queen__ Mayor. Karias is giving up the throne."  
"Really? So you'll be the queen again?"  
"Yes! And of course Maduke will make a stunning prince consort."  
"How did he take the news?"  
"Of me being queen again? I haven't told him yet. I only just now read the letter."

Ah. Well. Tao didn't really care about any of that. Maduke almost had broken his little doll body and never apologised properly and he wouldn't be surprised if he was only after the castle, but the curse was broken, so he wouldn't complain. "I will go and make sure everything is ready."

"Of course! I'll be waiting for word on your progress!" Ah, she loved her babies so much, even big like this.

Tao left the room and crossed the church. Most guests were seated already, excited to see the wedding of the mayor and the queen whose curse has been lifted. Like a fairytale! Lagus, who'd officiate, quietly spoke to Maduke at the altar. Tao approached Zaiga who, as best man, was responsible for assuring things would go smoothly. "Is everything ready?"

"Yes, everything is ready. Is the bride?"  
"Yes." Tao gave a brief nod.

He clapped his hands together, rubbing them. "Good." And with this, Maduke's future would be set. Married to a former queen would mean any children of his would inherit a title as well as their combined fortunes.

Quickly, he returned to the small room where Aris was getting ready. Claudia, Lagus'daughter, was here to help out as bridesmaid. "Everything is ready for you, my queen."

She rose, surprisingly elegantly for the cute persona she usually had. "Then I will go meet my prince!" Even now, those enchanted- they had to be, right?- hearts showed up whenever she made that gesture.

Tao nodded. "I'll get Krantz." Since someone had to lead her to the altar. Mirai nodded with a smile and left the room as well to take her position at the altar.

Aris picked up the letter, folding it up and putting it in her busk for giving to Maduke later. She really couldn't wait to see his face when he read it. He was no king- could not be, with his lack of title- but prince consort was a __very__ prestigious role anyway.

Krantz approached her. "My queen." He's been her bodyguard for longer than Yuri had been her advisor after all. He offered his arm to her.

"Kranz." The oldest and best of her babies. She was glad that he was the one walking her. "Have things been well since you've turned back?"

"Yes. I like being a person again. Of flesh and blood." He nodded. Even if things had their ups and downs, they made it in the end. The Quartet of musicians started playing when the bride came in. Curiously, the villagers all turned to her, veiled and petite, a perfect conclusion to a strange fairytale.

As she reached the altar and Kranz put her hand in Maduke's, bright light flooded the church from the heavy doors that had opened. In bright light, a stranger stepped forward. White robes, flowing golden hair. He spoke up, interrupting the music. "Hey! No. No no no no no! That was __not__ the way I intended the enchantment to go!"

Aris turned around with wide eyes. "You! You did that!"

"Yes, yes I did! And it seems you __completely__ missed the point of it! You were supposed to learn some __humility__ not find someone worse than you!"

"Now, now." Lagus wagged his index finger. "Don't ruin a wedding like that."

He scoffed. His powers were stronger than Lagus's, he knew. Who was Lagus to tell him how to handle this? "You certainly weren't complaining when I first laid the enchantment."

"Your enchantment has been broken. Fair and square."

... Lagus could rot for all he cared. So could this whole town. Their queen had missed the point and would not become a better person, and now they were stuck with her. He flung a spell behind him as he left, causing the Lagus to lose each and every lock of his long purple hair that he'd been so proud of.

Some of the villagers laughed as, suddenly, Lagus' purple hair started falling off. Even Maduke couldn't help but laugh - which earned him a counter spell from the angered wizard.

Aris burst out in giggles as Maduke lost his eyebrows. He looked ridiculous."On with the wedding then?" She giggled some more. She could draw them on later.

"On with the wedding." He hadn't even noticed that he was missing something.

The ceremony was short, but meaningful. Aris told him afterwards that he was now missing his eyebrows as she handed him the letter.

Maduke reached up, running his fingers over where his brows used to be. "That bastard!" Just because Lagus lost his hair! Did he _really_ have to drag him down as well?

"I'll draw them back on later. For now the letter!" She clasped her hands in front of her.

With a nod, he opened the envelope again and skimmed the contents of the letter. Then again. And a third time. Incredulously, he glanced at her.

"Congratulations, __Prince__ Maduke."

"__Queen__ Aris." He took her hands in this. He'd always wanted so much more than this provincial life - and he was getting it.

And thus, we conclude our fairytale – and eventually, Maduke learned to love her not only for her wealth, but also for who she was as a person: vain, sadistic and moody, and thus, a mirror to his own soul. King Karias gladly stepped down to let his cousin return to reign, enamored by the fairytale-esque story she had to tell.

With their mayor moving to the royal capital, Zaiga became the new mayor and the townsfolk hardly noticed a difference. Mirai married the guardsman Juraki and while they raised Urne together, two years later, she received a little sibling/nephew.

Frankenstein opened a school for the surrounding villages – with his best customer gone, he acknowledged that he would need to diversify and offered reading classes to gain a broader base of customers. Not long into his relationship with Lunark, custom forced the happy couple into marriage – six months later, little Tesamu joined their little family.

The sorcerer, displeased with his spell broken the wrong way, returned to his own kingdom, where he reined as usually kind and even-tempered king only to find that King Karias, the betrothed of his daughter, had lost his crown. This problem, however, is another tale entirely.

* * *

**_An_****:**_** A**__nd this concludes the first fairytale in this series! we are currently working on our next one - The Sleeping Beauty, reimagined in a way you certainly did not read before! Keep your eyes peeled for Princess Raskreia's epic quest for a suitable prince!_


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